The city of Montreal announced on Friday the opening of a temporary emergency shelter at the YMCA in downtown Montreal to protect the city’s homeless population from the cold weather that is expected to rage through early next week.
Posted at 3:49pm
As in early February, Montreal is opening a dedicated space for the next three nights to protect the homeless from the biting cold. This downtown YMCA location on Stanley Street in the Ville-Marie neighborhood can accommodate up to 80 people.
According to Environment Canada, mercury could fall to -21 degrees Celsius overnight from Friday to Saturday and -28 degrees in wind chill. A similar temperature is forecast for the night from Saturday to Sunday. The federal authority warns that there is a risk of frostbite.
The downtown YMCA Heat Drop-In will therefore be open for nights Friday night through Monday morning from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m., the city said in a press release.
Stakeholders and security personnel will be on site to ensure the proper functioning of the premises. There is also a separate room for women.
Patrol the areae
The places normally frequented by the homeless will also be visited by officers from the Montreal Police Department and members of the Mobile Social Intervention Mediation Team (ÉMMIS) in the coming days. The idea will be to refer and accompany people on the street to resources to ensure their safety.
This operation is organized by the Montreal Emergency Measures Coordination Center.